Following Its Apple-Hitler Comparison, Chinese Firm Letv Targets U.S. With Le Superphone

It doesn't happen very often, but every once in awhile, a company will say or do something that makes you cringe. Chinese tech firm Leshi TV is the most recent example, having put out an advertisement that compared Apple to Hitler, complete with a cartoon pic of the genocidal monster wearing an Apple armband. Why? It was a stunt to draw attention to itself as the company readied its first smartphone, which will be launching in the U.S. market.

The company's handset is called Le Superphone (previously known as the
X900), and as you can see by the press photo below, it somewhat resembles an HTC
One device. It should also have a premium feel to it thanks to an aluminum
design, plus high-end features like a 5.5-inch display, Qualcomm
Snapdragon 810 processor, and a fingerprint scanner on the backside. Letv says it will be the first smartphone to use a USB-C connection. Other features and specs are not yet known.

More than just smartphones, Letv is planning to blitz its way onto U.S. soil with a number of technologies, including a streaming video service and smart TVs. Regardless of the hardware, Letv's big pitch is that it provides a first-of-its-kind open, vertically-integrated ecosystem through a combination of devices, platforms, content, and applications.

"Expanding to the U.S. is a natural progression of our business as we continue to aggressively pursue new services and markets," said Letv Founder and CEO Jia Yueting. "We believe that our open, vertically-integrated ecosystem is the future of Internet experiences in the connected age and a stark contrast from closed systems that limit consumer choices and industry innovation. Letv is boldly reshaping the boundaries of media with our 'Six Screens/One Cloud' approach by delivering a premium content experience across every screen: mobile, tablet, computer, cinema, TV and, soon, electric cars."

So yes, Letv will be bringing its line of smartphones into the U.S. market this year, and also a smart TV, alongside what the company says is a rich library of Chinese content, including more than 100,000 television episodes and 5,000 films, many of which are exclusively Letv-produced and distributed.